


The Baby in the Labyrinth

by AWritingNerd



Series: Hades Fics [6]
Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Gen, Kid Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 15:09:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29843364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AWritingNerd/pseuds/AWritingNerd
Summary: Asterius isn't a fully grown and terrifying minotaur like Theseus had expected. Instead, he is much younger, and also extremely frightened.Alternatively: Asterius is a baby, and Theseus is best dad.
Relationships: Asterius | The Minotaur & Theseus (Hades Video Game)
Series: Hades Fics [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2168565
Comments: 4
Kudos: 75





	The Baby in the Labyrinth

It was such a tiny thing, its horns barely sharp, and protruding only a few inches or so from it’s head, its fur still fine and delicate, its eyes wide and filled with fright. It only came up to Theseus’ knee, which explained the injuries on the other sacrifices, and it’s human-like hands were curled into defensive fists around a little stick. Looking at such a tiny creature- no matter how dangerous- threw Theseus off his game. Could he bear to kill this little thing?   
Was this really the minotaur that so many feared?

It was obvious by the death of the other young men and women that this little minotaur wasn’t to be underestimated, but despite that, Theseus found himself underwhelmed. This little creature might have been a threat to the untrained, but to Theseus, he was just a child, and a child was not fit to live in a labyrinth of such darkness, nor should a child ever look as scared as this poor little minotaur did. 

He kneeled down in the grass at the edge of the glade, setting Ariadne’s sword down a little ways away, eyes still on the minotaur, giving it a small smile that he hoped was reassuring. “Hello there, little bull,” he whispered, watching it’s ears flick towards him as he spoke. “I’m not going to hurt you, okay? I’m not like them.” 

The little one didn’t react, but Theseus stayed right where he was, and this seemed to put the little one at ease, if the way his grip slackened on the stick in his hand was any indication. As time passed with Theseus remaining in that position of stillness, the stick was set aside, and the small minotaur was settled on the other side of the glade, eyes still fixed on Theseus. 

Theseus couldn’t bear to see the little one’s sorrow, the tense set of it’s shoulders, the nerves shining in inky black eyes. He wanted to reach out to it, to reassure the small minotaur of his intentions, that he wouldn’t hurt it. He couldn’t imagine hurting something so small, something so young.  
Something so...thin…

“Little one?” 

The minotaur made a small grunt, and Theseus resisted the urge to melt at how adorable it sounded. Focus, Theseus! “Do they...do they feed you? They told us they feed you humans, but...well…”

The little thing looked alarmed for a moment, shaking its head vigorously. Obviously not, then. He had figured that out when he noticed the pristine condition of the labyrinth, and the left-behind bodies of his fellow sacrifices. The minotaur obviously wasn’t eating the humans thrown into the maze, so why were they still sending in people?

“What do you eat, then, little bull?” he asked finally, and it perked up just a little, digging around in the space next to it to pull out a collection of tiny berries. Theseus felt his heart ache. “That’s…that’s it?” every instinct within him screamed to help this poor thing, and he barely registered the tiny nod he was given in return. He stood from his spot across the glade, beginning a slow approach that immediately had the bull on it’s feet, stick retrieved from the ground. 

“Easy, little bull,” he murmured, moving closer. “I’m not going to hurt you. I just wanted to come closer. I promise, I won’t do anything, okay? I’m just going to sit.” He slid back down onto his rear, this time closer to the baby, and while it still looked wary, it didn’t move to hit or charge him, so he assumed this was all right. When the minotaur finally put down the stick again, he knew he was right. 

There was a silence, one which neither had the nerve to break. Theseus wasn’t sure what to say to such a temperamental little one, and the minotaur didn’t seem much for conversation, as little and anxious as it was. It wasn’t as if Theseus minded, however, and the silence was not an awkward one. In fact, this moment must have been the quietest one he’d had in a long time. All need to throw up his facade of cocky and confident demeanor faded in the face of their current predicament. 

Which was far more serious than he feared when the tell-tale sound of footsteps sounded around them, and King Minos emerged, towing a group of soldiers along with him. “I had wondered why you hadn’t emerged from the labyrinth since we sent you in. It seems you’ve been...lazing,” the king’s drawl trailed off as he took in the scene before him, and Theseus knew it must appear ridiculous. One of the young men he had sent into the labyrinth, sitting side by side with the minotaur who should have been responsible for his death. 

“King Minos, might I inquire about the state and conditions of this minotaur. I was told I would be fighting a fully grown, people-eating minotaur, and I am greeted by a berry grazing baby bull? I do believe there must be some mistake here!” 

“There is not,” King Minos replied coldly. “The beast is exactly where it belongs.” 

Theseus grit his teeth, stepping in front of his little charge when the soldier began approaching them. “It belongs in another place too,” Minos continued, a malicious glint in his eyes, his expression twisted in displeasure. “And I suppose now you will join him.”

Theseus did not in fact ‘join him’ when the soldiers leapt forward to impale him and the small minotaur with spears and swords, nor did he wait around for such a thing to happen. As soon as the soldiers struck, he took off without a care in the world, scooping up the minotaur, desperately hoping that he would find the Ariadne’s string and be led out of the maze again. 

It was only too bad that the string was no longer there. He had been quite sure it was tied around the bush he had emerged from, but the scarlet ribbon was nowhere to be seen, and Theseus found himself running blindly, and since he hadn’t grabbed his sword, weaponless except for the baby minotaur’s horns, and there was no way he’d be letting the baby anywhere near danger even with that opportunity. 

Out of options, he called out to the gods. To Poseidon, to the Olympians as a whole, to any god who would listen. He needed to get the small being in his arms to safety, he needed to get them both out of the labyrinth, and even if he had to beg and plead, he would do so. “You…” he huffed, exhausted from starvation and the running he was doing. “...deserve so...much more!” he told the little one in his arms, and when he met the young bull’s eyes, all he saw was trust.   
It appeared to be all the gods needed, for a moment later, with a piercing pain, they both died.

The fates could be cruel, for sure, and they worked in ways many did not understand, but for once, Theseus was glad for it. Yes, they were obviously both dead now, emerging into the House of Hades as they were now, but at least it had been fast, and the spear that had done the job had gone through him before impaling his charge, minimizing the pain the minotaur was to feel before perishing. 

Still, he had hoped, somewhere within his mind, that the gods would have saved him and his companion from the labyrinth instead of leaving them to fate. He couldn’t complain, however, not when his small friend was looking around with such fascination. Truly, he couldn’t blame him. The river flowing around them was entrancing, and the boat that floated above it drew the gazes of others nearby too. Holding an oar that he used to steady his boat against the dock, Charon waited for the new shades to board, and Theseus moved to do so, clutching the little minotaur even tighter in his arms. 

The boatman looks at them both with barely concealed curiosity, but holds out his hand for gold coins regardless, and while Theseus flounders for a moment, the little one reaches into the folds of his little toga, and pulls out a few little coins, whispering to the boatman as he hands them over, the first words Theseus has heard from him. “This ‘nuff?” 

Charon nods, taking the coins and giving the little bull’s mane a pat before letting them board. Theseus didn’t bother asking where the minotaur had gotten the coins from, part of him already aware of the answer, and instead focused on how much more...comfortable the child seemed. 

“You...do not fear this place? You realize that we have died?” Theseus asks, toned quiet so he doesn’t bother the shades around him. The little one looks up at him, ears flicked back in a way he has recognized as contemplation. 

“No,” he finally answers. “‘S nice. No one tryin’ to hurt me now.” 

The relief in his voice caused Theseus’ heart no small amount of agony, but he was glad that the little one was at least happy with this outcome. For one so little to have experienced so much pain is a tragedy that Theseus wishes he could rectify, but like his charge, he finds himself comforted by the idea of a painless afterlife, or at least one without suffering. 

Charon leans down to grumble out a question to the small one, and the minotaur gives a little huff of what Theseus can only identify as a giggle. “Asterius,” he replies back. “Name is Asterius.” Charon grumbles a bit more, and the bull- Asterius- turns to Theseus. “‘S the one who saved me. Don’t know name.” 

“Theseus,” he whispers, hardly daring to break the moment.

The little one’s snout turns up in a smile. “Theseus,” Asterius sounds out, and Theseus finds himself grinning, filled with joy. Just that one word was filled with so much awe and trust, filled with so much emotion. He had vowed to protect this minotaur, this child, from everything that thought to harm him, and now that there was no more danger, he vowed to do everything he could to give Asterius the afterlife he deserved. 

That began with a long session with the god of the dead, with Theseus on his knees, begging for Asterius to join him in Elysium instead of meeting the cruel fate of Erebus. When Hades finally agreed, he had escaped as soon as possible from the god’s audience, scooping up Asterius to bring him back to where Charon waited. “We’re set for Elysium, little bull. I think you’ll like this place.”

Despite not being able to see him, Theseus could feel Asterius nod from where his head was cradled in the crook of Theseus’ neck, the latter of which giving a small exhale of amusement when the child began drifting off from exhaustion. “Rest, dear Asterius,” Theseus breathed, hoping not to disturb his small companion. “I shall make sure you get there safely, I promise.” 

Asterius obeyed immediately, and Theseus had never felt happier.


End file.
